Arianespace launching two on June 1

Arianespace will launch two satellites June 1st carrying ViaSat-2 for ViaSat of California and Eutelsat 172B for the Paris-based operator.

The mission, the 237th overall by an Ariane launcher, breaks a number of records. The first is that the weight being carried into orbit, at 10,865 kgs, is the heaviest-ever. The satellites themselves are the 558th (ViaSat) and 559th (Eutelsat) to be launched by Arianespace.

Launch window opens at 08.45pm (Kourou) and 01.45am June 2nd (Paris).

ViaSat-2 will travel to 70 degrees West, while Eutelsat 172B is destined for 172 degrees East and serve the Asia-Pacific region.

Arianespace is also catching up on its lost 40 days of industrial action in French Guiana in April, and is on schedule for its next dual-launch, of Arabsat’s HellasSat-3 and Inmarsat joint cargo, as with co-passenger Indian Space Research Organisation’s GSAT-17. That launch is scheduled for June 28th.